ANC condems violent protests

2010-02-23 18:30

Johannesburg - The ANC on Tuesday condemned violent service delivery protests that left two people, including a metro police officer, injured in Orange Farm and Sharpeville.

"We request people to exercise patience and restraint. In as much as the ANC is tolerant to the legitimate protest action, violence will not bring development," said spokesperson Dumisa Ntuli in a statement.

"It is our firm view that protesters must refrain from violent conduct,"

He urged residents to "exercise patience and optimism" as the government will "respond appropriately to specific issues of development which gave rise to the protest".

"The ANC is prepared to listen, it is fair to mention that many meetings have been called and people have been informed of the integrated phases of development in the area [Orange Farm].

"The ANC will continue to engage the community to find appropriate solutions to the current problems with regard to issues of development," Ntuli said.

A "lot of development" was taking place in Orange Farm, where residents took to the streets on Monday and Tuesday to protest against poor housing construction and lack of other basic amenities.

Lost hope

Community spokesperson Bricks Moloko said: "People are angry, people are tired, we have lost hope of service delivery.

"We are told that we need to give the government a chance and each time they change the president we are told to give him a chance," said Moloko, of the Orange Farm Water Crisis Committee on Monday.

Although the situation had calmed down in the area on Tuesday afternoon, residents had earlier gone on the rampage in Extensions Seven and Eight, ordering foreign nationals out of their stores and taking their goods, said Inspector Mzimkhulu Mthimkulu.

Community leaders met government officials at 13:00.

On Monday, residents stoned the police, damaging their vans, and burnt tyres on the Golden Highway, affecting traffic flow.

Police retaliated, firing rubber bullets and teargas before arresting 30 people for public violence.

Sharpeville residents started their protest on Tuesday morning, using burning tyres and "anything they could find" to barricade roads, said Superintendent Nthabiseng Mazibuko.

A woman was injured when a bus picking up passengers was stoned as it made its way through the area on Tuesday morning. She was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

The situation had calmed down in the afternoon but was still tense following a meeting between residents and government officials at the Sharpeville stadium.

Poor service delivery was behind protests there, and Ntuli said the government was "trying by all means to resolve the situation there".

- SAPA